The winner of the Pride & Glory Movie Passes Contest is Jon, commenter #7! An email has been sent with the passes and all of the instructions!

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I am not going to take a look at EVERY movie opening this summer, but I am going to tell you about the movies I can’t wait to see and when they will be coming out, because let’s face it, if you read ToC, then you’re like me, and you’ll probably like what I like.

Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges)
Opening May 2, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Jon Favreau (Elf, Zathura)

Iron Man is the first movie to lead off this summer movie season and Hollywood couldn’t have picked a better picture to intro the summer than this. Starring the underrated Robert Downey Jr. as “Tony Stark”, a wealthy industrialist who after being forced to build an armored suit, ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil, Iron Man looks to revitalize the “over-sequeled” comic-book-movie genre. Early critical reviews rave that Iron Man is refreshing in its earnestness to avoid dark dramatic stylings in favor of an easy-going, crowd-pleasing action movie with a sprinkle of anti-war and redemptive themes. Take it from me, you need to go see this. I hear it’s not quite as cheesy as Fantastic Four in its appeal, but it’s not as overly-dramatic and dark as The Punisher or Ghost Rider…think the FIRST Spiderman. If you happen to go see this movie this weekend, please report back in the comments what you thought.

Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon)
Opening May 9, 2008 Worldwide
Directors: Larry & Andy Wachowski (The Matrix Trilogy, V for Vendetta)

When I got word that the Wachowski’s were making another movie together, I was pumped! As the news slowly came in about the movie, when I initially heard it was “Speed Racer” I didn’t really know how to react. I had heard of Speed Racer but didn’t really know anything about it. I just stereotypically thought it was some Asian trend, kind of like Pokemon or those Magic cards. BUT, as soon as I saw the first teaser trailer, I was EXCITED! For those that aren’t aware of what Speed Racer is, basically it’s about a racer named Speed (clever I know) who drives Mach 5 (his car) fearlessly and instinctively, unlike any racer of his kind, who loses his brother, Rex Racer, to a cross-country death-defying race, called The Crucible. The more and more I watch the trailers, the more and more I want to see this movie. I may not know all of the back story and neither will you, but I’ve heard that the movie can stand on its own.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson, “Pevensie Children”)
Opening May 16, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe)

If you are a fan of the C.S. Lewis’ story collection, then I’m sure I don’t have to hype this movie very much. Being that I am a HUGE fan of the stories, I can’t wait to see another Lewis story come to life on the big screen. There’s just something so magical and enlightening to the Chronicles of Narnia series, a feeling that isn’t easily described. This will be a great family movie and one you won’t likely forget.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett)
Opening May 22, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Steven Spielberg (ET, War of the Worlds, Saving Private Ryan)

Do I need to say anything about this movie? Is there anything I can write here that could make you more excited about this movie?! I don’t think so. From the department of “Movies The World Can’t Wait To See” comes the 4th in a storied and beautiful saga that we have come to know and love as Indiana Jones. As with most Steven Spielberg movies, there hasn’t been a whole lot of press, photos, trailers, behind-the-scenes information about the movie, all-in-all it has been pretty hush hush. Early rumors are suggesting that Shia LaBeouf might possibly be grooming for a chance to restart the franchise as a young Indiana Jones and continue the saga. He’s denied those reports, but like anything, you just never know. Sit back and relax, and just enjoy a high quality, bring-you-back, action movie!

(Although I don’t like it nor do I want to see it, the Sex and the City movie opens on May 30th, for those that might be interested. It’s the same 4 girls from the TV series on the big screen, and from what I hear, when the movie ends, it may only be 3….you’ll have to go see it to find out.)

You Don’t Mess With The Zohan (Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Emmanuelle Chriqui)
Opening June 6, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Dennis Dugan (The Benchwarmers, Big Daddy, Happy Gilmore)

Adam Sandler continues his reign as the once-a-year funny man with another one of his crazy movies starring himself and all of his buddies. In this concoction, he plays a Mossad secret agent who fakes his own death to move to New York to be a hairstylist…no, seriously. The movie will of course contain a lot of physical comedy, what Adam Sandler does best, and a slew of insane characters that have been in every one of his other movies. I really do want to see this movie, but I’m not so sure this one HAS to be seen at a big theater. I don’t know, I think I am getting a little bored of Adam Sandler’s funny movies, I particularly like him better in more serious roles (re: Spanglish, Reign Over Me). Nevertheless, if you go see this movie this summer, you won’t walk away without laughing.

Kung Fu Panda (Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman)
Opening June 6, 2008 Worldwide
Directors: Mark Osborne & John Stevenson (SpongeBob SquarePants)

I don’t normally like many animated movies unless they come out of the Pixar studio, but the trailers for this one make it out to be pretty funny. It helps that I am a big Jack Black fan, and the fact that the Panda that Jack voices looks just like him…if he were a panda bear. Essentially the story revolves around Po (Black) the Panda who is the laziest panda around but when enemies threaten his life, he unwittingly becomes the chosen one to protect his community. So, imagine a fat, lazy, sarcastic, self-depricating panda, who happens to know kung fu…comedic genius? I think so.

The Happening (Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo)
Opening June 13, 2008 Worldwide
Director: M. Night Shyamalan (Signs, Sixth Sense, The Village)

One word…wow. It’s been 2 years since the last M. Night movie “Lady in the Water” and fans have been eagerly awaiting any news about the next M. Night Shyamalan movie. Again, like all of his movies, there hasn’t been much released to the public as far as details are concerned, but from the teaser trailer, it looks to be about a natural crisis that affects the entire world…maybe the entire human race. Whatever it is, it will definitely deliver suspense and a thrilling sense of paranoia-driven action. I like that Mark Wahlberg is leading this one, and in fact, I always love hearing who M. Night casts, because he has this ability to cast the most PERFECT off-the-radar actor to play his characters. You will not be disappointed.

The Incredible Hulk (Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth)
Opening June 13, 2008 Worldwide
Directors: Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2, The Transporter)

No, this isn’t a sequel to the box-office flop (though I actually liked it a little) “Hulk” directed by Ang Lee, this is more of a Batman Begins-esque restart of the Hulk franchise. The much maligned previous Hulk film pretty much ruled out all chances of ever seeing the big green man again, but when Edward Norton stepped in and joined the movie and actually assisted in writing the screenplay, Hulk fans around the world breathed a collective sign of relief…Hulk would live again. With a totally new cast and new direction, this newest Hulk film looks very daring and exciting in its reach. Take it from me, don’t let the bad taste that was left in your mouth from the previous Hulk ruin this experience, from what I read, this may be a surprising hit.

Get Smart (Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson)
Opening June 20, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Peter Segal (50 First Dates, The Longest Yard, Tommy Boy)

I was a HUGE fan of the TV show “Get Smart” back in the day and was probably one of the few kids in my neighborhood that actually liked it. It was very spoofish, an early parody of the Bond films, and I was just enamored by the physical and goofy comedy. They couldn’t have picked a better actor to portray Maxwell Smart than funny man Steve Carell. Anne Hathaway as his counterpart Agent 99 should also work very well in the context of the movie. Although it’s not one of those big blockbuster movies, I am very much going to see this one in the theater.

WALL·E (Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy)
Opening June 27, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Cars, The Incredibles)

Not counting Toy Story, I don’t think I can remember a Pixar movie being so hush hush about its premiere. I remember when Toy Story came out and the hype and mystery surrounding it was huge, but WALL·E has been very quiet about what it shows, what it reveals, which very much adds to its mystique. One of the most interesting notes about this movie is that most of the characters are not voiced by actors, but by mechanical noises combined to resemble voices. There is little traditional dialogue in the film. I really don’t know what to expect and I think that’s one of the most appealing aspects of wanting to see this movie…no expectations!

Wanted (Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman)
Opening June 27, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Timur Bekmambetov (Twilight Watch ‘Russian’)

One of the things that might keep me from this movie is the fact that it hasn’t been rated yet. Given the amount of action, the story line, the fact that Angelina Jolie likes to be clothes-less, this movie could be rated R. Something tells me though that it’ll probably be a strong PG-13. I didn’t know this until after researching the movie, but it’s actually based on an explosive graphic novel series by Mark Millar. Expect a lot of explosive action with amazing shooting special effects, combined with a little bit of sultry appeal from Mrs. Jolie herself…hopefully not too much though.

Hancock (Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron)
Opening July 2, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Peter Berg (The Kingdom, Friday Night Lights, The Rundown)

Last year on this date, the world welcomed “Transformers,” this year’s “July 4th” movie slot will be filled with Will Smith’s anti-hero movie “Hancock.” If you know me at all, you know that Will Smith sits pretty high atop my Top 5 Actors List, so you know I will go see this movie. Will Smith stars as Hancock, a superhero who basically doesn’t want to be one, it’s actually an annoyance to him. What an awesome idea for a movie! Think about how ultra-hero-ultra-patriotic our world has become, where everyone loves to be a hero or wants to sing about being someone’s hero, and how great it will be to watch a movie that is about a guy who essentially has the complete opposite mindset. I love those kinds of stark contrasts in film, and I love when a film takes on an idea that is drastically in the face of what is believed to be popular. Don’t miss this movie!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones)
Opening July 11, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Blade II)

As being probably one of a handful of people that enjoyed the first Hellboy, I am anticipating this sequel very anxiously. It’s been almost 4 years since the original debuted to mixed reaction, as I believe the Hellboy comic book fans are a little more underground than your typical Spiderman fan. Directed by the brilliant and quirky Guillermo del Toro, who will be directing the next 2 LOTR movies, “The Hobbit” and “The Hobbit 2 (not actual title)”, Hellboy 2 kicks off where it left off, with Ron Perlman saving the world from evil while smoking a cigar and delivering “old-man-wise-cracks.” It’s like if your Dad was Hellboy, he’d want to save the world, but he’d probably complain about his back or someone interrupting his alone time. If you didn’t see the first one, don’t worry, you will still grow to love the characters just as much as the rest of us.

The Dark Knight (Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart)
Opening July 18, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Prestige, Memento)

Right here at ToC, I am predicting that The Dark Knight will be the greatest July opening of any movie in the history of cinema! That’s right, you heard it here first. Mark your calendar, take the day off, leave the kids with the sitter, cancel plans, move your wedding, whatever you have to do, you HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE!! I don’t think in the history of my little life have I ever seen a movie been so highly anticipated than this one…I mean, there are SO MANY hidden and viral web sites created for this one movie, communities of little “Joker’s” around the world have gathered with painted faces to celebrate the opening, GPS coordinates have been calculated by the thousands just to catch a glimpse of the trailer…I could go on and on, but all I am telling you is that you MUST see this movie. I don’t care if it’s “not reality” or if you think “super hero” movies are farce, this movie will forever be looked back upon as cinematic history. And besides, you really need to pay your respects to be GREAT Heath Ledger who I hear portrayed probably one of the top 2 BEST Batman villains! Needless to say, I will be off that day.

The X-Files: I Want To Believe (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson)
Opening July 25, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Chris Carter (The X-Files)

Though I never watched the TV show, I did see the first movie and I must say that I enjoyed it. I didn’t feel like because I had never watched the show I couldn’t follow the movie, it did a very good job of standing on its own. Though not as intensely anticipated as a whole as The Dark Knight, I think the obsessed fans of The X-Files’ world are as much, if not more, excited to see this sequel get made, and from what I hear, they aren’t going to be sorry. I didn’t see the first one in the theaters and I think I regret that, so this time around, I am going to make plans to watch it with the rest of the crazy X-Files-ers. Who knows, maybe Scully and Mulder will FINALLY hook up??

American Teen(Documentary)
Opening July 25, 2008 Limited
Director: Nanette Burstein (On The Ropes)

Thought it’s definitely not one of the mainstream movies that will get a lot of attention this summer, American Teen is going to be an awesome breath of “real” fresh air amidst a summer of action packed fantasies. It’s a documentary about a group of seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town and it details their various cliques and how they each live out their lives. It’s essentially what every teen movie is about, but this time it’s real, with real people and real challenges. The poster for this movie looks like a modern-day Breakfast Club so when I first saw it, I initially thought it was a remake…I was happily surprised. I don’t know how many theaters it’s opening in, but definitely check the listings to see where this is playing, if you have teens you won’t want to miss this.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor(Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello)
Opening August 1, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Rob Cohen (Stealth, The Fast & The Furious, XXX)

Ok, it’s sad to say that I actually have liked “The Mummy” franchise. I really enjoy the special effects and the action/comedy of Brendan Fraser combined with the comedy and romance of Rachel Weisz…but unfortunately, Rachel isn’t in this one and has been replaced by former ER-star Maria Bello. I actually own the box set of The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, and The Scorpion King, so it’s obvious that I would like to see this one. I am not too excited about it, as I thought it was better with Stephen Sommers behind the camera, but I have liked the action-heavy movies that Rob Cohen has done so I guess we’ll see. I would expect it to be a hit in its time slot as its only competition is the movie “Choke” which is based on the hit cult novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk.

Tropic Thunder(Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.)
Opening August 15, 2008 Worldwide
Director: Ben Stiller (Zoolander, The Cable Guy)

The premise of Tropical Thunder is that a group of actors who are filming a war movie have to suddenly become REAL LIFE soldiers and survive when an actual war breaks out. It stars Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr., who besides playing Iron Man this summer, will be portraying a black man…yes, you read that right, a black man. Well, he’s playing a white actor who has surgery performed on him so he can more better portray an authentic black man. Tell me that’s not comedic brilliance?! This doesn’t come out for a long time but I think it will find its audience, it may be a limited audience with its R rating, but I’m sure the loyal Stiller fans will line up for miles.

My wife and I will be going to see 10,000 B.C. courtesy of the ToC community. Thank you to everyone who voted and gave me their opinions. I love having a community that supports each other and that is involved in each other’s daily lives.

Keep checking the site to read my 10,000 B.C. review here in the next few days.